Violence against Aboriginal, First Nations, Native American, Indigenous women. This forum looks at the issues, news updates, initiatives. This forum is dedicated to the families and friends of the hundreds of women who are missing or have been identified as murder victims throughout Turtle Island. We acknowledge the Creator's blessings on their souls and spirits in their new journey.

OTTAWA – Liberals are calling on the Harper government to launch an independent investigation into the devastatingly high number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls.

A report recently released by the Native Women’s Association of Canada found that a staggering 520 Aboriginal women and girls have been murdered or gone missing in Canada since 1970. Of that number, 67 percent were tragically murdered, while a troubling 24 percent remain missing, according to the report. Fourteen percent of the missing girls and young women were under 18 years of age at the time of their disappearance.

“The government can no longer forget these missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls,” said Liberal Status of Women Critic Anita Neville. “Their plight has been almost entirely ignored for far too long – up until now. Aboriginal women deserve no less attention and protection than all other women in Canada – which is why we’re demanding government action now.”

Aboriginal Affairs Critic Todd Russell said that all levels of government must address this crisis by answering the questions of why and how this has occurred, so that this disturbing trend can be reversed.

“The Harper government owes it to them, their families and their communities to probe these cases, not only to try and get to the bottom of what happened, but also why it happened so that we may also learn from and develop plans to address this crisis,” said Mr. Russell.

Ms. Neville pointed out how all levels of government need to put in place measures to help prevent violence against Aboriginal women, which has been found to occur four times more frequently than among non-Aboriginal women.

“We must commit to action to reduce violence against Aboriginal women and girls,” said Ms. Neville. “But first we need the answers that an independent investigation would provide – answers that would produce positive change in legislation, policies and procedures affecting Aboriginal women. Only then will we see real positive change.”

BACKGROUND

The Sisters in Spirit Initiative of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) recently released the 2nd edition of its report, Voices of our Sisters in Spirit, on cases of missing Aboriginal women in Canada. The report’s findings include:

As of March 31, 2009, the estimated number of missing or murdered Aboriginal women in Canada since 1970 is 520;347 of the 520, or 67 percent, have been murdered. 126 (24 percent) remain missing;43 percent of the cases – or 223 women – have gone missing since 2000. (The report does not provide an annual breakdown);150 of the 347 murder cases remain unsolved;The vast majority of cases occurred in Western provinces, with 137 incidents in B.C. alone. Twenty-six of the B.C. cases are women whose remains were found at the Pickton pig farm. Alberta and Manitoba have the next highest rates of disappearance;52 percent of the missing women were under the age of 30 at the time of their disappearances. 14 percent were younger than 18.

NUPGE has supported this initiative with funding through its "Building International Sisterhood campaign" projects.

Ottawa (18 May 2009) – The Harper government is once again deflecting calls for a public investigation into more than 500 cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women.

Amnesty International, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the Liberal Party of Canada have all called on the federal government to take more action on the alarming number of Aboriginal women and girls that have been murdered or gone missing in the past three decades.

In March, 2009 the NWAC released a second edition of Voice of Our Sisters in Spirit: A Report to Families and Communities.

The Sisters in Spirit Initiative is a multi-year research, education and policy initiative designed to investigate the disproportionately high number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada.

NUPGE has supported this initiative with funding through its "Building International Sisterhood" projects.

The key findings of the report include the fact that the number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada is extremely high, with over 520 cases confirmed since 1970. The percentage of cases of missing women and girls has remained constant, suggesting that there is a trend of ongoing disappearances.

For many years Native organizations have raised the issue of violence against Aboriginal women and girls. And in 2004, Amnesty International released a report entitled Stolen Sisters: Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women In Canada. The report stressed the issue that the lives of Indigenous women in Canada are placed at risk precisely because they are Indigenous women.

Beverley Jacobs, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), says that native girls and women still don’t get the same attention from police or the media when they vanish. Racism, stereotypes and discrimination are still the reality for Aboriginal families who are seeking help when a loved one goes missing.

About NUPGE International Women’s Projects

At the National Union’s 2006 conference, Building International Sisterhood, NUPGE announced that it would be developing partnerships with four women’s projects, one of which is the Sisters in Spirit initiative. At the NUPGE 2007 Triennial Convention a resolution was passed to provide support to the projects for three additional years.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE

OTTAWA - Aboriginal women continue to feel targeted and vulnerable because the Harper government continues to ignore their calls for a judicial investigation into the devastatingly high number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls, said Liberal Status of Women Critic Anita Neville and Aboriginal Affairs Critic Todd Russell.

"I have been doing ongoing consultation with Aboriginal women's groups ever since we called for a full investigation, and I continue to hear the same thing: the Conservative government's response to this issue is highly inadequate and, as a result, women still feel unsafe," said Ms. Neville.

A report from the Native Women's Association of Canada found that a staggering 520 Aboriginal women and girls have been murdered or gone missing in Canada since 1970. Of that number, 67 percent were tragically murdered, while a troubling 24 percent remain missing, according to the report. Fourteen percent of the missing girls and young women were under 18 years of age at the time of their disappearance.

Liberals asked for a full investigation in the House of Commons back in May. To date, the Minister of State for the Status of Women, Helena Guergis, has not responded. On June 26, Ms. Neville and Mr. Russell received a letter from Justice Minister Rob Nicholson that completely ignores their request.

"Aboriginal women don't need a recap from this government of the programs they are funding nor do they deserve to be brushed off in this manner - what they need is concrete action to get to the bottom of what happened to these women," said Mr. Russell.

Ms. Neville said one of the ways this issue could be addressed is to tackle human trafficking in Canada. Last month, the Harper Conservatives were the only party in the House of Commons to oppose a motion that would have called on the government to create a plan of action to address human trafficking in Canada.

"It could be an important tool to preventing further disappearances of Aboriginal women and girls," she said. > Ms. Neville was meeting with the Assembly of First Nations Women's Council today to discuss this and other issues affecting Aboriginal women. That followed a larger gathering of the AFN yesterday with Liberal MPs Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Dr. Kirsty Duncan and Ms. Neville and Mr. Russell to discuss the H1N1 flu pandemic that has struck several Aboriginal communities.

"Liberals believe it is important to keep the dialogue open with our First Nation friends as we do what we can to assist them in their battles for healthy communities," said Ms. Neville. "Unlike this Conservative government, we take the issue of missing Aboriginal women and girls seriously. They most certainly deserve no less attention and protection than all other women in Canada - and it's time for the Harper government to stop ignoring them."